Startup takes diners on road for fun, mingling and variety

JOE CREA

Contributed photo

Social Kitchen owners Courtney Barton (left) and Ashley Nuske (right) stand with Karen Small, chef-owner at the Flying Fig, where the startup has taken their traveling diners.

The Cleveland-based Social Kitchen gathers a gang of food lovers, puts them on a bus and, over the course of three-plus hours, visits a trio of restaurants to sample dishes. 'The whole idea is to meet new people, try new dishes, mingle and have a lot of fun,' co-owner Ashley Nuske said. Plus, the crowds flock to Raising Cane's.

If dining out is one of our favorite forms of entertainment, who's to say it can't become an even better party?

That's what entrepreneurs Ashley Nuske and Courtney Barton aim to conjure with the Social Kitchen, their Cleveland-based "dinner crawl and event" startup.

The concept is simple. Gather a gang of adventurous food lovers, pile them into a limo bus and take them to a series of Northeast Ohio restaurants.

That's where the fun begins. The group — hopefully a genial bunch of strangers, or a bunch of friends who choose to book a party — mingle over cocktails as they meet one another and start their crawl. Over the course of three-plus hours, they'll visit a trio of restaurants and sample dishes, be they house specialties or "chef's whimsy" selections.

They'll spend roughly one hour at each eatery, sampling three tasting-size portions. As they nibble (and maybe sip an optional drink), participants meet the restaurant's chef and staff. It's an opportunity to learn about the place they're visiting, hear the chef's perspective on the dishes and share their views.

In short order, they're back on the limo bus and off to the next stop.

"The whole idea is to meet new people, try new dishes, mingle and have a lot of fun," said Nuske, 29.

She and Barton have done their time in the hospitality industry.

Nuske, who describes herself as a "military kid, a nomad," attended Kent State University's hospitality management program, moving on to stints on the Walt Disney World Resort's hospitality staff (and a gig performing Tinker Bell).

Barton, 30, worked in a procession of restaurants and breweries. Her husband, Gregg, coaxed her to expand her culinary horizons and broaden her interest in the hospitality field.

"We knew, initially, we were each bringing something different to the table," Nuske said.

"But one big thing we have in common is that Courtney and I are 'people people.' We thrive off of that with each other, and we're proud that we can engage with people and ice-break."

That ability to get strangers to mix and mingle, is essential to creating a great evening, they said.

"Really, the big idea was to bring back community engagement," Barton said. "You know, you go out and see so many people … face deep on their phones and not communicating with each other. We thought we could change that. And what better way than through food?"

Thus an open call for members of the public to join in went out. While the partners are big on booking private events — anything from a bunch of friends who want a night out to celebrations like showers and bachelor parties — some of the best evenings come from the relationships spontaneously spawned by newbies meeting for the first time.

"Obviously, it's most common for people to buy tickets in groups and book a party, which is totally fine," Nuske said. "But what we wanted to prevent from happening was that people came in a box and then only interacted with the people they came with."

So guests are seated communal style. Barton and Nuske sit back and coax a bit of casual interaction.

"Then, when you put good food in front of people, they really can't help but talk about it," Nuske said.

"Honestly, the hesitation beforehand may be there, but when people get on the bus with us and people start chatting, it flows from there. I don't think we've ever seen an occasion where people aren't having a good time," she added.

Now with about 17 events under their belts, they're emphasizing prominent and rising independent restaurants. The business partners say an array of local talent has been part of Social Kitchen's lineup, from Karen Small of Flying Fig and Jill Vedaa of Salt, to Eric Williams of Momocho and El Carnicero, and Fabio Salerno of Lago. Plus there have been stops at 1890 at the Hyatt Cleveland Arcade and the Wyndham at Playhouse Square.

Ticket prices typically range around $70 per guest. That includes food, transportation, a drink on the bus, any planned beverage pairing and a gratuity for wait staff.

Barton explained that timing and portioning are essential.

"(While in transit) we're in contact with the restaurant the whole time, so they know when we'll be arriving, and when we're in, they drop the food (get it ready to serve). … The guests settle in and eat, the chef and/or owner comes out and talks, and then we head off to the next place," Barton said.

"And we work with the chefs to keep things perfectly portioned, to keep it a good mix but not overwhelming servings, in a true 'progressive dinner' style," Nuske added.

Crowded Cane's

Wondering what was causing that traffic jam on Pearl Road south of state Route 82 last week?

Diners were trying to get their first taste at Strongsville's latest fast-casual restaurant, Raising Cane's. It's the Northeast Ohio first location for the Louisiana-based chain.

Police controlled the flow of drivers nosing their vehicles into the spot's somewhat confusing entryway. Once in, there was a long wait for the signature dish: deep-fried chicken fingers.

My wife, a friend and I waited more than 20 minutes at a near standstill to shout our order into the drive-thru's speaker. The menu is pretty simple: a variety of combos (most include crinkle-cut fries, slaw, Texas toast, peppery Cane's sauce and a drink), including sandwiches, dinners and bigger quantities.

Honest? We didn't love the fries (limp) and the slaw was standard issue, but those chicken fingers were damned good. Plump, moist and piping hot, the fresh ("never frozen") chicken was lightly but crisply coated and — hurrah! — lightly seasoned. None of that impossibly salty stuff.

I'll definitely go back after the crowds die down, which, from the looks of things, may take a while.

Raising Cane's is located at 14356 Pearl Road.

Joe Crea has been covering the Cleveland dining scene for more than 20 years. Email him at [email protected] (Put “At the Table” in the subject line.)